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Saturday, March 25, 2006

I would live for a thousand years, leaping naked from moon-cast shadows into the flame-lights of sacrifice to sway and stomp and howl and laugh in victory-dancing.

Triumphalism? We are such for because of because. No one else but us, and us alone. Going shameless into that good night, we fighting men, carrying on till forever is over. I would live for a thousand years and fight again.

"Lost? And what is there to lose? Is not the wheel of eternity mine?" G.E. Lessing, The Education of Humankind.****

[T]his entry didn't have a negative POV; it's an entry about a negative THING. No one takes prides in her or her own 'triumphalism.' You can't link to any websites with advice about how to encourage more triumphalism in your own group. Those who truly believe in their own superiority call themselves 'superior,' not 'triumphalist.' Those who truly are or will be victorious call themselves 'triumphant,' not 'triumphalist.' When people want to talk about an attitude worthy of praise, they use terms like 'school spirit', 'pride', or 'confidence.' The term 'triumphalism' is used when you want connotations of over-confidence, hubris, or delusion.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Triumphalism****I see: So warm. Eyes golden diamonds, skin cherry peaches: floating across the blue an arc of life's rubbies, a bridge uncrossed; to lay down hollow-eyed forever in search of the endless empty skies; to lay at rest under a quilt of meat-eating birds.

Friday, March 24, 2006

Please excuse the mess I've made here of two stories below somehow cobbled together by sheer accident, I do declare. One is from Australia on the prime minister's reaction to Afghanis wanting to kill a man for insulting pig-allah; and the second is a news brief on Tony Blair's speech about how wonderful is Islam. I just don't know how I got the two pieces mixed up like this. Heckers! I write, being so angry with myself for this mess. I guess that's the end of the virgins for this guy, though Tony's maybe gonna get lucky.

****

Christian must die ~ clerics

25mar06

KABUL - Muslim clerics are demanding an Afghan man on trial for converting from Islam to Christianity be executed, a move slammed as sickening by Prime Minister John Howard.

The Prime Minister [Tony Blair] during his speech "Not a clash between civilisations, but a clash about civilisation" spoke forcefully about the problems of terrorism.

The talk given to the Foreign Policy Centre and Reuters also included his praise of the Holy Qur'an.Clerics have warned that if the Afghan Government caves into Western pressure and frees him, they will urge people to "pull him into pieces".

The case against Abdul Rahman, 41, has stirred international protests, including from Australia, and angered President George W. Bush.

Mr Howard said he would personally protest to the Afghan Government.

"This is appalling. When I saw the report about this, I felt sick, literally," Mr Howard said.

"We are putting the lives of Australian soldiers on the line. This is outrageous. The idea that a person could be punished because of their religious belief and the idea they might be executed is just beyond belief."

"The most remarkable thing about reading the Koran – in so far as it can be truly translated from the original Arabic - is to understand how progressive it is. [Says Tony Blair.}But in Afghanistan even moderate clerics such as Abdul Raoulf have called for Mr Rahman's execution.

"I speak with great diffidence and humility as a member of another faith. I am not qualified to make any judgements. But as an outsider, the Koran strikes me as a reforming book, trying to return Judaism and Christianity to their origins, rather as reformers attempted with the Christian Church centuries later. It is inclusive. It extols science and knowledge and abhors superstition. It is practical and way ahead of its time in attitudes to marriage, women and governance," he said.[That would be yer Tony Blair again.]The cleric who was jailed three times for opposing the hard-line Taliban said: "Rejecting Islam is insulting God. We will not allow God to be humiliated. This man must die."

He added that under the guidance of the Qur'an, the spread of Islam and its dominance over previously Christian or pagan lands was "breathtaking". [Uh huh. it's Tony.]Diplomats have said the Afghan Government was searching for a way to drop the case, and on Thursday authorities said Mr Rahman was suspected of being mentally ill and would be psychologically examined to see if he was fit to stand trial.

"Over centuries it founded an Empire, leading the world in discovery, art and culture. We look back to the early Middle Ages, the standard bearers of tolerance at that time were far more likely to be found in Muslim lands than in Christian," he declared.

But three Sunni preachers and a Shiite from four popular Kabul mosques said they didn't believe Mr Rahman was insane."I speak with great diffidence and humility as a member of another faith. I am not qualified to make any judgements."He is not crazy. He went in front of the media and confessed to being a Christian," said Hamidullah, chief cleric at Haji Yacob Mosque.

Understand how progressive it is. Understand how progressive it is. Understand how progressive it is."The Government is scared of the international community. But the people will kill him if he is freed," he said.

Not a clash between civilisations. Not a clash between civilisations. Not a clash between civilisations.Mr Raoulf, who is a member of the country's main Islamic organisation, the Afghan Ulama Council, agreed: "The Government are playing games. The people will not be fooled."

It is inclusive. It is inclusive. It is inclusive."Cut off his head!" he exclaimed, sitting in a courtyard outside Herati Mosque.

And way ahead of its time and way ahead of its time and way ahead of its time."We will call on the people to pull him into pieces so there's nothing left."****